Democrats are demanding White House records on Trump's national security adviser and his ties to suspected Russian spy Maria Butina

Democrats are asking for records related to President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton and his work with Maria Butina, a woman accused of being a Russian agent.

In a Monday letter to the White House chief of staff, John Kelly, a few top Democrats demanded documents related to Bolton’s security clearance.

They want Kelly to “produce documents related to whether Bolton reported his previous work with this alleged Russian spy on his security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials prior to President Trump appointing him to his current position.”

Democrats are pushing the White House chief of staff, John Kelly, to turn over records related to President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton and his work with Maria Butina, a woman now suspected of being a Russian agent.

In a Monday letter to Kelly, which was provided to Business Insider, Democratic Reps. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts requested that Kelly “produce documents related to whether Bolton reported his previous work with this alleged Russian spy on his security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials prior to President Trump appointing him to his current position.”

Cummings is the ranking member of the House oversight committee, and Lynch is ranking member of that committee’s subcommittee on national security.

The two requested all documents and information from Bolton and his associates related to his contacts with foreign nationals over the past seven years, in addition to all documents related to inquiries into Bolton’s security clearance and Bolton’s answers to a series of questions in his security-clearance application.

The US government has accused Butina of trying to gain access and influence with political groups in the US, including the National Rifle Association, as part of what it alleges was conspiracy on behalf of the Russian government.

In late 2013, Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, recorded a video with Butina promoting the expansion of gun rights in Russia.

At the time, Bolton served as the head of the NRA’s Subcommittee on International Affairs, and the NRA’s president at the time, David Keene, asked him to participate in the 2013 roundtable that Butina helped organise, NPR reported.

A source close to Bolton told NPR that he was informed the video was a recording for the Russian legislature and had never heard of Right to Bear Arms.

Butina has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to act and failing to register as an agent of a foreign government. Russia has called the arrest politically motivated.